Occasionally, during the summer months, an announcement is made that the area is experiencing drought conditions, so water conservation measures should be enacted. Many do not understand how they can help in conserving water. There are many ways to help save water, some large, some small, but all effective.
According to the Money Pit, there are many technological advances that can help save water throughout the property.
First change the shower head to a low-flow one. The new ones have good water pressure yet only deliver as little as 1.75 gallons of water per minute. The traditional ones put out as much as 3.25 gallons more per minute.
Water faucets can also be a source of wasted water. By replacing the aerators on the faucets in the bath and the kitchen quite a bit of water can be conserved. Generally older faucets provide up to four gallons of water per minute. By replacing the current aerator with a low-flow one, up to 40 percent of water produced will be saved.
Don’t forget to check out the toilet. Currently only low-flow 1.6 gallon toilets are produced. However, many homes still have the four to five gallon ones. To help save money with these old toilets, one of the first things recommended is to wrap a brick in foil and place it at the bottom of the tank. This will help the tank to hold less water without needing to purchase an entire toilet. Another thing to help save water is to make sure that the toilet does not leak. This can be done by placing some food coloring in the toilet tank overnight. In the morning if there is some of the food coloring in the bowl, there is a leak. This can be remedied with a simple do-it-yourself project. The flush valve needs to be replaced. The flush valve is an inexpensive item and most homeowners are able to make the replacement themselves.
Another huge source of water use, is landscaping. To help lessen the amount of water that is used, first turn off any automatic sprinklers. Then water the lawn and garden by hand, in the morning. By watering in the morning, water lost through evaporation can be avoided. Mulch should also be placed around the plants to help hold more moisture for the plants.
Some smaller tasks that are just as important when conserving water include placing dirty dishes that are being washed in a dish pan, instead of the sink itself. When dishes are finished being washed, the water in the pan can be used to water plants.
Another idea is to keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator. Then when someone would like a cold drink of water, they do not need to run the tap until the water is cold, they can poor a glass from the pitcher.
One more tip to help consumers use less water is to only do the laundry when there is a full load. Also try to run the washing machine during lower usage times. These times are generally announced at the time that the drought conditions are issued.
With these tips and ideas, the next time there is a drought the consumer can feel they are already to handle the idea of using less water.
